Key Points
- Home Ministry transferred to BJP’s Samrat Chaudhary, ending Nitish Kumar’s 20-year control over the portfolio
- BJP secures 14 ministerial berths out of 27, cementing its position as the dominant partner in the alliance
- Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha gets Revenue and Land Reforms, Mines and Geology departments
- Mangal Pandey retains Health Ministry and also gets Law portfolio
- Only 18 out of 27 ministers have been allocated portfolios, 9 ministers await allocation
- BJP state president Dilip Jaiswal appointed Industries Minister
- Ramkripal Yadav gets Agriculture, considered a key ministry
Patna: The most significant development in the portfolio allocation is the transfer of the Home Department to BJP leader Samrat Chaudhary, who continues as Deputy Chief Minister. This marks the first time in two decades that Nitish Kumar has not held the Home portfolio, a department he had controlled continuously since 2005. The move signals a major shift in power dynamics within the NDA alliance, with the BJP asserting greater authority in Bihar’s governance. The Home Ministry oversees law and order, police administration, and internal security, making it one of the most powerful departments in the state government.
BJP’s Dominant Position in Cabinet
The Bharatiya Janata Party, now the single largest party with 89 seats in the Bihar Assembly, secured the largest share of ministries in the new cabinet. Out of the 27 ministers sworn in on Thursday, BJP got 14 ministerial berths, while JD(U) received 9, LJP(Ram Vilas) got 2, and HAM and RLM got 1 each. The party’s increased representation reflects its strengthened position in the alliance and its successful performance in the recent elections. BJP leaders have been given charge of several key departments, including Home, Health, Industries, Agriculture, and Revenue.
Complete Portfolio Allocation List
Bihar Cabinet 2025: Complete Portfolio Allocation List
| Serial No. | Minister Name | Party | Portfolio/Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samrat Chaudhary (Deputy CM) | BJP | Home Department |
| 2 | Vijay Kumar Sinha (Deputy CM) | BJP | Land and Revenue, Mines and Geology |
| 3 | Vijay Kumar Chaudhary | JD(U) | Water Resources, Buildings |
| 4 | Dilip Jaiswal | BJP | Industries |
| 5 | Shravan Kumar | JD(U) | Rural Development, Transport |
| 6 | Ashok Chaudhary | JD(U) | Rural Works |
| 7 | Vijayendra Yadav | JD(U) | Energy |
| 8 | Mangal Pandey | BJP | Health, Law |
| 9 | Leshi Singh | JD(U) | Food and Consumer Affairs |
| 10 | Nitin Naveen | BJP | Road Construction, Urban Development and Housing |
| 11 | Madan Sahni | JD(U) | Social Welfare |
| 12 | Santosh Suman | HAM | Minority Water Resources |
| 13 | Sunil Kumar | JD(U) | Education |
| 14 | Ramkripal Yadav | BJP | Agriculture |
| 15 | Jama Khan | BJP | Minority Welfare |
| 16 | Sanjay Tiger | BJP | Labour Resources |
| 17 | Arun Shankar Prasad | BJP | Tourism, Art and Culture |
| 18 | Rama Nishad | BJP | Backward and Extremely Backward Classes Welfare |
| 19 | Surendra Mehta | BJP | Animal and Fisheries Resources |
| 20 | Narayan Prasad | BJP | Disaster Management |
| 21 | Lakhendra Paswan | BJP | SC/ST Welfare |
| 22 | Shreyasi Singh | BJP | Information and Sports |
| 23 | Pramod Chandravanshi | BJP | Cooperation, Environment and Climate Change |
| 24 | Deepak Prakash | RLM | Panchayati Raj |
| 25 | Chirag Paswan’s LJP(R) | LJP(R) | Sugarcane Industry, Public Health Engineering |
Note: Nine ministers from the 27-member cabinet are yet to be allocated portfolios. The distribution reflects BJP’s strengthened position as the single largest party with 14 ministerial berths, while JD(U) holds 9, HAM 1, LJP(R) 2, and RLM 1.
Political Context and Negotiations
The portfolio allocation follows intense negotiations among NDA allies, with reports suggesting that JD(U) was initially reluctant to relinquish the powerful Home portfolio. The final distribution reflects a compromise where BJP secured most key departments while allowing JD(U) to retain important portfolios like Water Resources, Rural Development, and Energy. The allocation was announced a day after the grand swearing-in ceremony at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan, which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several chief ministers of NDA-ruled states. The ceremony saw Nitish Kumar take oath for a record tenth term as Chief Minister, maintaining his position as the longest-serving CM of Bihar.
Unallocated Portfolios and Coalition Dynamics
Nine ministers have not yet been allocated portfolios, indicating ongoing discussions within the coalition. These include ministers from smaller allies like Chirag Paswan’s LJP(R), which has secured the Sugarcane Industry and Public Health Engineering departments, and the HAM party, which retains the Minor Water Resources Department. The remaining allocations are expected to be finalised in the coming days, with coalition partners seeking representation in departments that align with their political strengths and constituencies. The careful balancing of portfolios among coalition partners demonstrates the complexity of managing a diverse alliance while ensuring each party feels adequately represented in the government.
